Heart of Gold
by Lynn Kyzar
Summary: She was thrown into another world blind and into a curious race. they offer her a chance to change her life and she takes it. RatchetXOc Read a review. No hard flames, Please.
1. Info

Heart of Gold

Name: Nova

Race: Human / Lombax

Age: 18

Hair: short black

Eyes: icy blue

Fur: White with Black stripes

Background: The first time the lombax's tested the Deminstionator, Nova was pulled from her world to there's but she was blind. The lombax's asked to use her in an experiment, and she readily agreed as long as there was a chance for her to see again. They fused her DNA with that of a Lombax, it worked she gained her sight and almost all the features of a lombax. The only things that stayed the same was her short black hair on the top of her head and her icy blue eyes, she shrunk to about Ratchets height, he's a about an inch taller. When Tachyon invaded she stayed to help fight but it was too late the lombax's had fled using the Deminstionator. Kaden, Ratchet's father, had made it to their lab where in an attempt to save Eva he froze her in a life pod. Which kept her body and mind frozen in time he then sacrificed himself to keep the Deminstionator out of Tachyons hands.

Author's note

Hey people this is important so read it. Ok the whole first chapter starts at the end of TOD and goes all the way to the beginning of ACIT but I never played QFB so there is no details about that so if I get it wrong don't get mad just tell me. And a warning I suck at grammar so tell me or ignore it. That's all. Enjoy!


	2. Angel of Time

(Planet Fastoon Just after defeating Tachyon.)

"I still can't believe Tachyon was helped by Lombax's and that's how he repays them." Ratchet said walking through the ruins of Fastoon with everyone fallowing behind.

"You know everything he said could have been all lies, Ratchet." Talwyn said walking to his right.

He looked at her, "That's why I don't believe it, he's a professional liar." he looked back ahead of him but what he saw he didn't believe which made him stop and have everyone look at him. It looked like another male Lombax but he looked almost like a hologram but Ratchet could tell it wasn't. The Lombax smiled at him waving for him to fallow and turned walking the other way around a cliff corner.

Talwyn put a hand on Ratchet's shoulder, "Ratchet? What's wrong?"

He didn't answer her he just took off after the figure like he was in a trance.

"Ratchet!" everyone yelled chasing after the young Lombax.

Ratchet turned the corner to face another cliff face, but this one had a hole in the side of it which had reviled a door which 1/3 of the doors base was covered with lose rocks. He looked around for the Lombax and saw him wave his hand again saying to fallow before he disappeared though the closed door. Ratchet ran to the steps leading up to the door and started pushing rocks out the way of the door.

The other stopped behind him after helping move the rocks enough to make a path; Clank stepped next to Ratchet, "This door has the same markings as all the others. Ratchet why not try touching it."

Ratchet reached out his hand placing it flat on the door; he waited a second before the markings flashed and the door lifted up to a pitch black room.

Ratchet looked around for the Lombax but couldn't see a thing; he pulled out a flashlight and found the light switch, turning on the lights.

As the lights came on, the room filled with light. The place he was closest to had a lot of controls while the other side of the wall had a lot of tubes but they were all empty.

Now that he could see, he saw the lombax was standing over by the control panels again he motioned for Ratchet to come over. Ratchet slowly walked over to him; now that he was close Ratchet could see the details of him.

He was about a half a foot taller than Ratchet with the same color fur and eyes, he wore the same type of armor him but had a red sphere in the middle of his chest and his had no sleeves. (Sorry the beginning armor of ACIT that's what the ghost dude has)

He smiled at Ratchet who just looked at him confused, he then pointed to a button on the controls that was big and green. Ratchet put his hand over it and questioningly looked up at him who nodded.

Clank walked over to Ratchet, "Ratchet what are you doing?"

Before Clank could stop him Ratchet pressed the button and turn to the lombax who grinned giving him a thumbs up and mouthing, "Take care of her, son." then he vanished in thin air.

Ratchet looked around a second before the floor turned in the middle of the room and a hole opened up. Slowly a big oval size pod came up through the hole, turning it stop in a laying position.

Without warning, a holo screen flashed up on the room wall above the controls, everyone turned to see the lombax Ratchet saw but he was a bit worse for were.

"Hey, If you're seeing this, then I never made it back. My name is Kaden... I'm leaving this message in case I die. Anyway in the middle of this room is a life pod, when someone is put in the pod, it preserves their life for years so anyone put in the pod can stay the same age for hundreds of years."

He turned as the room shook the door opened to see another female Lombax. She was shorter than him with black and white fur and long black hair on her head she wore a long short sleeve green shirt that looked more like a really short dress with a thick black strap across her boobs. She had black pants with dark brown boots with a black leather belt over her shirt with black fingerless gloves that went to her elbows and green color goggles on her forehead.

"Kaden! He's safe I was able to get him in an escape pod. What do we do now?"

He turned to her, "You're staying here in the life pod till I come back for you."

"What? Kaden I want to help and you said so yourself I'm the best sharp shooter you have." She said as he led her to the pod in the middle of the room.

"Please, I need you to do this for me, one of us must survive to take care of my son and I'm not sure I'll make it back. We can't let it fall into his hands, please do this for my son he'll need someone when he gets older, please."

She sighed looking at his pleading face, "What if you don't make it back?"

"I've programmed it to open by itself in 23 years if I don't come get you and no one finds this place it will open then."

She looked at the pod, "Fine just don't forget." she climbed in and sat down and looked at him.

He smiled, "Thank you, take good care of him and don't worry I'll be back before you know it."

She laughed, "If he's anything like you that might be kind of hard." she laid back with her arms at her side a piece of thick glass covered her fogged over then lowered.

Kaden walked back over to the screen, "That's who I put in there please help her find my son. All you have to do is press the green button on the side of the pod and it will open. Depending on how long she was in the pod it might take her a while to wake up and she won't know how much time has passed. So take care of her and tell my son I love him very much. I wish I could have stopped this and been there for him but hopefully he'll understand and grow up to be a strong hero." they saw him press the button so the pod would lower and almost fell as the floor shook before the screen went black.

Clank walked over to Ratchet, "Ratchet, Isn't your father's name Kaden?"

Ratchet nodded walking over to the pod looking for the green button, "I think it is."

Talwyn spoke up from the control panel, "You do look a lot like him, but Ratchet what lead you to this place you looked as if you saw someone but I didn't see anyone."

Ratchet turned to the pod walking around it, "I saw the guy in the holotape, he led me here and pointed to the button I pushed earlier then he grinned and mouthed 'Take care of her, son.' Ah here it is."

He pressed the button, the glass popped up and air hissed out before it slowly opened reveling the Lombax from the tape.

Talwyn walked up to Ratchet, "Are you really gonna help her you don't even know this girl?"

Ratchet slowly picked her up (He's stronger that he looks) and turned to Talwyn, "If my father trusted her enough to send her here to help me then I think I can trust her. Talwyn, do you think we could use the Apogee station till she wakes up? Please?"

She sighs, "Fine but we have no room in our ship you'll have to get her there, we'll meet you there." she says leading Cronk and Zafher out of the room.

Ratchet led the way back to Aphelion, he laid her down in the back seat and jumped into his own seat, he smiled at Clank before leaving.

She woke to weird sounds from somewhere; her eyes slowly open and look around, "What the…..? This isn't the lab!" she sits up and looks around then she remembered.

"Kaden!" she gets up running out the room and down the hall as fast as possible. She looked in every room she saw. She then got to the end of the hall as the door slid open reliving a garden with water fall and everything. She looked around not seeing any lombax's till she spotted one sitting on the edge of the water and he looked just like Kaden.

"Kaden!" she yelled running towards him, she stops when the lombax stands up and turns to her, "You're not Kaden." she says almost to herself.

He shook his head walking toward her, "No sorry. My name is Ratchet. What's yours?"

She points a finger at him almost as if she was angry , "Where's Kaden? What happen to Tachyon? How long was I in the life pod?"

Ratchet looks at the others in the room and back her he steps up a little closer to her only being a foot away, "Calm down, first I don't know what happened to Kaden as for Tachyon I got rid of him and I think you were in there for about 19 years."

That last answer hit her like a ton of bricks, "19 years but Kaden? Oh no, he didn't't make it back which means he must be gone!" she looked down and felt a tear roll down her face. Her best friend and the one who changed her life was gone and she wasn't there to help him. She wipes her face and looks up at Ratchet giving him a weird look.

"Ratchet how old are you?"

He looks at her confused, "I'm about 19-20 I was found when I was about one why?"

She smiles sadly, "Your Kaden's son."

Ratchet crosses his arms, "How did you know?"

"I can just tell, you sound like him to." She said looking away.

Ratchet smirked, "What did you have a crush on my dad?"

She laughs, "No! Kaden was a mentor of mine and he was one of the first people I saw when I woke up after my operation. I guess you could say he's that awesome brother I never had!"

That's when a girl who looked almost human with pointy ears and a tail and almost a dark grayish green skin, walked over stepping next to Ratchet, "I'm curious, What operation? I didn't see any sign of scaring when I had the computer scan you to make sure you where ok."

She sighed, "Well that's because there where no incisions made. It has more to do with DNA mapping and stuff. Now I'm not an expert but what they told me was that they took my DNA and found a Lombax with similar DNA and they mixed them up taking out different things that would mess up the good stuff, then they put it all back in me somehow. All I know is when I woke up I could see and Kaden was the first person I saw."

A little robot walked to Ratchet's other side and looked to her, "Excuse me but you seemed like you where implying that you couldn't see before this operation, Is that correct?"

She smiled at him, "Yep, that's the reason I agreed to do it. It was an experiment never been performed before, but the way I see it I didn't have much to lose. By the way my name is Nova."

Ratchet smiled, "Cool, Nova this is Talwyn and Clank that's Conk, Zafher, Quark and Rusty Pete." he pointed to each person who nodded.

Then out of nowhere a weird portal opens just above them and almost everyone turns to the robot called Zafher, "Wasn't me you said it was broken."

That's when three weird looking floating aliens floated down towards clank, "We need to make sure you survived, now it's time to come home."

Ratchet being the only one who stayed close to clank, "Whoa Clank, Are these the Zoni?"

The Zoni then did some energy magic and knocked Ratchet away and lifting Clank up, "The time has come to learn who you are, and who you will become."

Ratchet then stands, "Let him go!" he then jumps to his friends aid but is knocked away again.

The Zoni, "It is time to understand your purpose, it is time to come with us."

Clank looked at them almost in a daze, "Yes, time to come with you."

Ratchet stands again yelling to his friend but he is to late clank disappears within the portal. Ratchet stares after them feeling his heart drop, his best friend and he couldn't do anything about it. He looks around at everyone else almost looking for answers.

Nova walked up behind Ratchet and put a hand on his shoulder, making him turn and look at her, "Did you say those were the Zoni?" Ratchet gave her a confused look but nodded.

She almost smiled, "You know Kaden told me about a race in the Polaris galaxy that all but worshiped the Zoni, from what I remember he said that they where now mostly located Phylax Sector. May be you could start a search there."

Ratchet smiled softly, "Thanks for the help but how did you know I would want to search for him?"

She grinned, "Well your Kaden's son, do I need a better reason."

Ratchet nodded to her and turned to everyone else asking for backup from here and stuff. Talwyn stepped up, "Ratchet I know your eager but you need to rest sometime. Why don't you go rest for the night and I'll make sure Aphelion is ready and waiting when you wake."

Ratchet thought for a second, "Alright but only a short rest then I'm heading strait there."

Nova looked at him, "Ratchet you sure you don't want someone coming with you."

Ratchet shook his head, "Oh no you are not coming with cause I promised Kaden."

She crossed her arms in annoyance, "When did you promise him anything?"

Ratchet stepped up as if to be intimidating, "When I found you in that pod Kaden lead me to it so It's final your not going, your stay here where it's safe." he walked off have the last word.

She huffed and walked off having the perfect idea.

The next day Ratchet jumped in to Aphelion, "Thanks Talwyn and I hope Nova doesn't hate me to much for this."

Talwyn smiled, "Don't worry I'll take care of her you worry about finding Clank I'll offer help where I can."

Ratchet nodded, "I'm going to pick up Quark then heading out. See you later Talwyn." the ships top closed and he took off out into the space.


	3. Fighter Girl

Chapter 2

Nova woke to the ship shaking, the alarm sounding, and Aphelion's computer voice talking, "Thrusters offline. Landing flaps offline."

"Are we crashing?" she held on to the back seat and onto that blanket that was covering her from their view. Good thing she doesn't make any noise in her sleep or they would have taken her back to that boring space station with those annoying robots.

She kept as quiet as possible as the ship crashed in to the uncharted jungle of whatever planet they were on, not that it would matter if she was quiet or not they were yelling at the top of their lunges and wouldn't hear anyway. Then it all stopped and was still, it felt as if time had stopped.

"Whoa." she heard Ratchet quietly.

"I know. So much for clean underwear." She heard Quark say.

"Eww that's gross!" she gasped and covered her mouth as the blanket was pulled off her.

She looked up at Ratchet and Quarks surprised faces and smiled.

"Hi."

"Nova! What are you doing here and when did you get there?" Ratchet asked.

She sat up and looked at him from the back seat, "I've been here the entire time, since you left the station."

"You were hiding under that blanket this whole time. How did you stay quiet the whole ride?" he asked standing the climb out of the ship.

She fallowed after him, "Well I slept most the way." she turned and looked at the ship hovering in midair, broken and in pieces, "You know something like this should surprise me but now it's just normal."

"Wait, you stayed quiet in your sleep the entire ride. Wow you must sleep like the dead. Anyway I guess it's too late to take you back now just stay close and don't get in the way." He said walking away from the wreckage.

"Anyway, where are we?" she asked as she stuck her tongue out at his back.

Quark popped up behind her causing her to jump forward, "Perhaps a stroll through this uncharted jungle will solve the mystery." she shook her head and followed after Ratchet.

After about 10 minutes of walking, and Quark trying to lead the way, they heard someone coming. Nova looks up to see a female Fungoid running toward them, "Help! Please help!"

"What wrong miss?" Nova said being the first one to respond.

"Zyphoides, they attacked while we were out fishing, please save my children." she said in a panic.

Ratchet stood by Nova, "Quark you and Eva stay here. I'll save the children."

He went off and found the first one quickly for even Nova could see the kid from where she was standing but as he went off to save the second child which was in some ruins that were in some weird time rift thing. Nova noticed a small gap in the forest to her right and she knew the last child would be in there because Enessa, the mother, told them he was there. She smiled pulling out the laser pistol she borrowed from Talwyn, if she couldn't convince him she would just have to show him how useful she is. She sipped away unnoticed and in to the ankle deep water.

After fighting off two Zyphoides and a lot of little one's she made it to the child which was smiling at her, "Wow! Are you a real Lombax?"

Nova put on her best smile and out stretched her hand, "Of course I am now what do you say we get you back to mommy? Okay?"

He smiled taking her hand and she led him back to his mother. Enessa smiled as both her children came safe.

Ratchet looked at her surprised as she walked up with the last missing child in tow, "Told you I could help. Ratchet I understand you're trying to protect me but I can take care of myself, believe me, I trained with the Lombax Praetorian Guard for crying out loud."

Ratchet sighed, "Alright I'm sorry I doubted you just please be careful, I don't think I could stand loosing another friend."

She smiled, "Will Do."

They fallowed Enessa and her children back to their village where they met the village chief, "Enessa! What are you doing out here these woods are no longer safe. Who are the outsiders?"

Enessa, "These kind people saved my children."

Ratchet stepped up to him, "Hi, our ship crashed over the ridge, you wouldn't happen to have a spare ship do you."

The chief smiled, "No but we might have a way of fixing your ship."

Nova looked confused, "But the ships trashed I don't think it can be fixed."

The chief lead the in to the village, past a statue, and up some stairs to a temple, "Ah but the Zoni can. Your starship is not beyond repair the Zoni are powerful beings and can do almost anything, but they are also hive minds, they must be kept together for their energy to work."

Nova crosses her arms, "So all we have to do is find a few Zoni and they'll fix the ship. But how do we catch them?"

He looked at them, "Can you keep a secret?"

Ratchet and Nova looked at each other confused and turned back to him and nodded.

"Inside this temple is a vessel which you can use to capture lost Zoni and harness there bioenergy. Fallow me and don't touch anything." he turned and opened the door to the temple leading the way in.

He turned to them as they entered a big room with three plates in the middle, "It takes three people to open the door and a forth to be sealed in in till they recover the vessel."

Ratchet stepped up, "I'll go, Nova link into my nav-unit, stay in radio contact."

"Alright." Nova said reaching to her belt.

"Copy that operation "Red Shirt" is a go." Quark said stepping on one of the plates.

She fallowed suit and so did the chief, "Why would you call a mission Red Shirt, if your ganna act stupid at least pick a cooler name."

Quark pouted, "Ratchet, she's being mean to me."

Nova scoffed and waited for Ratchet to walk through the door, "You'll get over it." she walked over to the now closed door looking at the design.

After a few minutes she heard Ratchet speak, "I'm through. Let's hope this vessel is worth it."

"I heard the chief talking to Quark, apparently it's one of a kind brought here by Orvis himself a long time ago and entrusted to the Fungoid's."

"Is he sure it'll fix Aphelion?"

"He said it'll do more than just fix it. Zoni bioenergy is the most powerful resource in the omniverse, whatever that means."

He laughed, "Found it."

"Ok hurry back. Quark is getting really annoying." she said looking back at the captain doing weird 'Hero' poses.

She walked back to the plate and stood on it waiting for him to get back, Quark who was still pouting and the chief fallowed.

The door opened and Ratchet slipped through, Quark, "You survived? Uh, I mean, you survived!"

Ratchet scoffed and turned to Nova, "Got it and I found two Zoni in there."

The chief stepped off the plate, "You'll need one more for your ship to be repaired but don't worry. I have one in the old armory; I found it wondering all on its own so I brought it here for safe keeping."

The chief lead the way out the temple but when they go outside they saw the village was under attack, "Every one into the temple! Hurry Vorselon is coming!"

Ratchet pulled out his wrench, "You guys ready?"

Nova pulled out her pistol and Quark gave a hero pose, "I was born ready."

Vorselon teleported behind Quark which made him jump into the chief's arms, "I believe Dr. Nefarious made clear the repercussions of leaving your hovel."

Ratchet looked at him confused, "Wait, who?"

Quark jumped in front of Ratchet and into Vorselon's face, "Dr. Nefarious has no authority here, Villain."

Eva crossed her arms, "This time I agree with him."

Vorselon circled around her once, "Well I see you found another Lombax. Too bad, because you'll never see each other again!" with that he laughed and trapped her in a weird bubble.

She put her hands on the inside of the bubble trying to pry it open, "Ratchet!"

"Nova!" he tried to reach her but she was too high now.

She stood in her cell which also had the child she saved back in the Zolar forest.

The kid looked up at her, "Will I ever see home again?"

She sat down and pull him in to her lap giving him her best smile, "Now don't you worry, My friend Ratchet won't rest until were all safe, so we got to just sit tight and wait here till he can find us."

She sighed, they had taken her belt which had her pistol and her nav-unit so she couldn't even contact Ratchet so she hoped he was fast enough to get here and find them before Vorselon got bored of them.

"Quark? Come in." Ratchet said syncing his nav-unit to Quarks.

"Oh Ratchet, thank goodness. They have us in containment cells. Their coming with food. Their coming with...Tap water? You animals!"

"Quark I need you to activate the nav-beacon on your belt can you do that?" Ratchet looked as dot on the radar popped up, "Good. And is Nova there with you I can't reach her."

"No, they have us in different cells, they're not even nice enough to keep us with are friends."

"Alright I'll be there in a minute, and maintain radio silence we don't want them finding out."

"Rodger! Captain Quark out."

Ratchet heard silence, "Hang on guys. I'm coming for you."

She stood setting the kid behind her as some guards opened the door to her cell they took her arm and pulled her out.

They past a room with two cells in it and she saw Quark in one of them, she sighed thinking, "He got caught to, Why does that not surprise me? But I guess that's a good thing he so stupid they might have left him with his nav-unit so maybe Ratchet can track him here. For once Stupidity came in handy."

She was taken to a large room with a lot of Fungoid's cowering before Vorselon.

"Good. Bring her here, and put them back in there cells." he took her arm from the guard and pushed her forward.

She turned back and looked at a large window in the back wall, she saw Ratchet knocking over a guard with his wrench, and he looked at her just as she exited the room.

He took her to a large room and pushed her in just as the alarm sounded, "Ha looks like the rescue party is here."

He got close to her face and smirk, "Don't count on it little girl."

The computer voice came on, "Escape pod one launched."

"NO! Computer, do a bio-scan of the entire ship. I want to know who helped them escape." he scream passing by her.

"Bio-scan shows one Lombax in launching bay."

Nova smirked, "Told you. That's Ratchet and he's ganna kick your sorry metal ass."

Vorselon stalked up to her and hit her across the head, hard enough it knocked her down. It left her head spinning and she passed out just as Ratchet came running through the door.

Ratchet ran through the door and saw her fall to the ground, "Nova! You'll pay for that Vorselon."

Vorselon laughed, "No for it is you who shall pay for meddling in Dr. Nefarious plans. Prepare to be killed by, wait for it ...Lord Vorselon! Ha ha ha!"

Vorselon attacked first but Ratchet avoided it while sending a bomb with a direct hit, Ratchet made sure to lure him away from the now unconscious Nova. It went on like that for a few minutes, him shooting ratchet dodging, until Vorselon's metal body couldn't take it and it exploded his head remained but he left in a hurry saying, "This is not the last you'll see of Lord Vorselon." all dramatic like.

Ratchet didn't even take a second to breathe before he was at Nova's side, he turned her over and tried to wake her but she didn't budge so he carefully picked her up and put her on his back. He made it to his ship in record time and lightly set her down in the passenger seat and putting on her seat belt before putting on his own and taking off out of the launch bay.

_Nova's Dream_

Nova looked around the room she was in; it was really big and was lined with computers and weird looking tubes with fluid in them. She was by herself in the room but one of the computers had a picture up on the holo screen. It had a picture of a female Lombax, eyes closed; it was average height and had the prettiest white and red fur she'd ever seen.

Then a soft chuckle interrupted her, "What you looking at Nova?"

She turned to see an older man that looked just like Ratchet just older and taller; she noticed he was much taller than her to.

She went to say something but noticed another image of herself step toward him, "Hey Kaden, I'm curious. Who's this?"

Then Nova remembered, this was a memory, she was dreaming her memory of before the attack on the Lombax's.

"Oh you don't recognize her," He stepped up to stand next to the other Nova, "Well I guess you wouldn't, you never really met her, but I guess you could say she's like your mother."

She looked up at him confused, "My mother, but I wasn't born a Lombax how can she be my mother?"

He chuckled, "Well when you look at it like that then no she's not, but if you look at it my way you'll see."

She crossed her arms, "Ok Kaden now you're just trying to confuse me."

He laughed, "Well, let me explain. You see when they infused your body with the DNA of a Lombax they had to find a compatible match otherwise your body would have rejected the DNA. This woman is your DNA downer she had the most compatible DNA of all that volunteered. So in a since she's like your mother."

"Ah" Nova turned to look up at the picture, "But Kaden why do I not have red fur like her mine is white and black."

He shrugged, "Don't really know. When you first came here your human body's natural hair color was black so I guess it took over as the dominate hair color and her white took over as the base dominate color, giving us the first ever white and black Lombax."

"Kaden? What are you doing in here so late?" Nova turned to the door to see a young light and dark tan female Lombax standing at the door with a small bundle in her arms.

Kaden walked up to her pulling the Nova next to him, "Sorry Hun, I was helping a young Lombax find her way home." He took the small bundle from her arms and it giggled.

The woman turned to Nova with a smile and an out stretched hand, "Hi you must be Nova I'm Avrie, Kaden's wife." (They never said his mother's name so I made one up don't like it, get over it. I named her after my niece.)

Nova reached out and took her hand, "Yes I'm Nova It's nice to meet you, Kaden talks about you all the time."

Kaden popped up behind Avrie, "I do not. Anyway, Nova, how would you like to meet my son?"

She smiled, "I'd love to." He then handed the small bundle over to Nova and she looked to see a baby Lombax with the biggest green eyes she's ever seen. He looked up at her a minute before smiling and reaching up to her face and patting her cheek lightly with his tiny hands, "He's adorable."

Kaden stood next to her, "He's not adorable, he's tough and strong and he's ganna grow up and protect the hole galaxy."

Avrie hit him in the back of the head, "He is adorable but I do hope he'll grow up strong and brave like his father."

Nova smiled, "Let's just hope he's a little more serious about it though."

Kaden turn to them pouting and his shoulders sagging, "Heeyyyy, now that's just mean. I can be serious when I want to be."

Nova watched from afar as they all laughed and her world faded into blackness.

_End Dream_

Nova woke up and looked around, "Ratchet?"

"Ah you're awake. Good. We're almost there. I was ganna wake you but I figured I'd wait till we landed." He said turning away to look at the endless blackness of space.

She sighed, "I'm sorry Ratchet."

"Why are you sorry?" he said turning to her confused.

"Did you know I met you long before you found me on Fastoon?"

"Ok now you're not making sense."

"I met you for the first time when you were 2 months old. I trained with your father and he took me to meet his wife, your mother, who was holding a small bundle in her arm. After we were introduced Kaden asked if I wanted to meet his son, I said yes. He handed me the small bundle and you had the biggest green eyes I'd ever seen, which you still do. The minute you saw me you laughed and reached up touching my cheek. But that's not why I'm sorry, I'm sorry because I couldn't save them."

"Hey don't blame yourself for that, I know I won't blame you for it. Yes I wish my parents were here but I've had a great life."

"I know your parents would be proud, they loved you so much I could see it."

He put hand on her shoulder, "Thanks."

She looked up at him and smiled lightly, he grinned, "See that's better, you look much better when you smile."


	4. Dear Old Daddy

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Chapter 3

"Now Entering Vela sector." said Aphelion as they went out of warp space.

"Ratchet?" Quark said coming in on the communicator.

"Ratchet here, go ahead, Quark." Ratchet said all but rolling his eyes.

"I've been asking around and the Fungoid's say that Alistair Azimuth lives in an abandon mining robot on Torren IV."

"Rodger that. Quark, see what else you came find out while you're there."

"Rodger Quark out." the transmission ended.

Nova turned to Ratchet, "You know sometimes it seems like he just acts retarded but then other time it seems like he really is retarded."

Ratchet laughed, "Oh well that's Quark for you. Fasten your seatbelt where going in for a landing." she complied and waited on them to land.

Ratchet was the first out, Nova fallowed close behind, "Come in Quark, we've landed on Torren IV, do you know where I can find Azimuth?"

Quark turned the transmission on"Chief something-something said he lives in the ruins of Volgram pass."

"Aright, we'll ask around maybe someone around here can point us in the right direction."

"Rodger that, Quark out." Ratchet turned off the transmission and turned to look at Nova Who was holding her head in her hands

Ratchet walked over putting a hand on her shoulder, "Hey you ok?"

She shook her head, "No my heads killing me. You wouldn't happen to have any nanotech would you?"

Ratchet nodded reaching in his bag and pulled out a small ball of light which she took slowly and it absorbed into her hand and felt instantly better. She stood taking a deep breath, "Ok I'm good let's go."

Ratchet lead the way and Nova easily kept up, "Hey Ratchet?"

He didn't stop but he did turn and look at her, "Yeah?"

"That name, Alistair Azimuth, It sounds really familiar but I can't think of where I've heard it before."

Ratchet shrugged, "Maybe you heard of him on the news in the past or something."

"I think being in that lab so long; I have a really foggy memory."

"Ah but remember your memories are coming back in your dreams."

She shrugged and smiled at him, "Yeah, I'm sure I'll remember when I see him."

They walked for a awhile and climbed a cliff side before the spotted a Vullard and decided to ask him about Volgram Pass.

"Hey outsiders! What brings you to Molonoth?"

Ratchet asked him some questions, but Nova wasn't listening as she was looking out over the field that had weird gear looking statues which gave the valley a sense of beauty, but it also reminded her of Fastoon. That got her thinking on that name, she couldn't't think of where she heard it before and it was starting to piss her off.

Ratchet came up and put a hand on her shoulder, "Come on I know where to find him now."

She turned to him almost skipping over to him, "Ok."

She followed him to a cliff side, on the other side was a mining robots head and it talked to them, "Halt outsiders, what business do you have in the hollow?"

Nova and Ratchet looked at each other, Nova stepped up, "We're looking for Volgram Pass?"

"Volgram Pass. Where the exile dwells. It lies beyond this hollow, but we do not grant entry to outsiders. They must find it for themselves." with that the robot closed his eyes.

Ratchet looked at Nova, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Nova smiled looking around, "I think he meant that." she said pointing to the Cliffside to there right; it had a way up to a cave in the side of it.

As they walked to it Quark called out on the communicator, "Ratchet, come in, one of the Fungoid's just told me about a race of brutal warriors who apparently hate Nefarious. They're called Argorian's; I'm heading over there now to talk to them."

Ratchet stopped and looked concerned,"Quark, I don't think that such a good Idea."

Nova scoffed, "None of his ideas are good."

Quark ignored her, "I really had to agree with you but the Fungoid's insist that I leave right away. They even paid the Argorian's to come pick me up, Isn't that nice. I'll keep you posted Quark out."

Ratchet sighed and turned off his communicator, "Let's go, Nova." When he didn't get an answer he looked around for her, "Nova?"

"Up here, hurry up." she called out to him from the cave and waited on him to climb up.

As he got up they saw a rail, "You ready." she grinned flipping on to the rail him fallowing close behind.

They had to avoid a few burners and some electric traps but it was ok, at the end was a jump bored the threw them all the way over the canyon, into the mouth of the robot.

They met a Vullard, he turned to them, "Sorry for the ruse outsiders, we like to keep are operation away from prying eyes. Come, you two have proven yourselves worthy."

He started walking away, "Volgram Pass is on the other side of this hollow, but you must beware there is a dangerous exile there. Those of our kind do are best to stay away from him."

Ratchet walked on one side of him Nova fallowing behind Ratchet, "Why? What did he do?"

"Oh you know, attack one of Nefarious's transports, blow up Vorselon's outpost in Korthos, you know the normal rebel stuff."

Nova walked up beside Ratchet, "Guy sounds charming."

Ratchet laughed as the doors to the hollow opened, "Ah here we are. Welcome to the hollow." He lead them to a path across the great canyon, "This will lead you to Volgram Pass be careful out there and watch out for that rebel."

They headed down the path which lead to a mining robot but this one still had Most of it's body they looked up to see a guy standing in the mouth of the robot, Ratchet called to him without thinking, "Excuse me, Uh hi. Do you know where I can find Alistair Azimuth?"

He narrowed his eyes at them, and then threw a bomb at them, both their eyes widened but Ratchet was quick. He knocked the bomb into the far wall and ran off the cliff, she jumped on to a small landing near the cliff and Ratchet took to the grave rail.

Nova stood watching Ratchet chase after Azimuth, she looked around and saw a jumping platform and jumped on to it. It threw her to another platform used for mining, running she fallowed them in till Azimuth disappeared; Ratchet jumped in to a platform not too far away and looked around.

She ran to the platform just as Alistair told Ratchet he looked like his father. She ran around the corner grinning, "Alistair!" She jumped giving him a surprise hug, she let go and looked at him, "I knew I recognized that name, it's good to see you."

Alistair looked at her confused for a second before he smiled, "Nova? Is that you? You haven't aged a day. How are still so young?"

"Kaden put me in the life pod in the research lab. Ratchet and his friends found me a while ago."

He nodded, "Well come in side you two we have much to talk about."

He led them up to his home Ratchet was the first to ask anything, "I have so many questions. How did you know him?"

"Kaden and I where good friends. He was a great Lombax, smart as they come. He was the first outsider to theorize the great clock existed."

Nova looked at him from where she was standing beside the wall of research, "And you think Clank is in this 'Clock'?"

Alistair walked over to a chest, "Clock is a rather crude translation of the runes on Quantos, and specifically they say 'Keeper of time'. But yes I suspect he is. You see, the Zoni are the guardians of time. Your friend has any connection to them; he must take some part in its operation."

Ratchet looked at him, "Wait I thought my father and Nova were the only one to stay behind when the Lombax's left, why didn't't you go with them?"

Alistair still looked in the chest, "Sometimes the universe has a cruel sense of humor. Ah here they are." He held up two pairs of hover boots, "Your father's and Nova's Hover boots, Ratchet, Ready for your first lesson?"

Nova smiled taking hers from him, "Thanks Alistair."

"Nova do you need a refresher course?" he asked as she put them on.

She smiled at him, "No I think I'm good." she tapped her toe on the floor before running to the mouth of the robot and jumping activating her hover boot she landed on a platform and turned back smiling and waving to them.

Ratchet put on his father's hover boots which fit perfectly, Alistair turned to him, "Ratchet, How did you find Nova?"

Ratchet looked up from the boots, "Well, we were on Fastoon and had just beat Tachyon and we found the lab. We got her out of that pod thing and took her to the station so she could wake up. Why?"

Alistair turned to the mouth of the Robot and Sighed watching her do the hover boot course, "Did she ever tell you how she became a Lombax?"

Ratchet went to stand by him, "Yeah she said a woman gave her some of her DNA and it matched. So they did some weird experiment thing and it turned her in to a Lombax which intern saved her sight."

He sighed, "The woman who gave her the DNA was my wife, Chloe, and she died before Tachyon attacked. She told me to take care of Nova as if she was my own and I was never able to find her. Thinking she was dead I thought I had failed them both but now that I see her here safe I'm ashamed that I couldn't protect her myself so, Ratchet, Thank you."

Ratchet nodded and smiled, "She don't need protecting she's doing a pretty good job of that on her own. That, and she hated it when I tried protecting her."

Alistair smiled, "She always did try to do stuff on her own."

Nova met them on a platform, "So Ratchet you master those hover boots yet?"

He turned to her and nodded smiling, "Yeah, so what now? Storm Nefarious's stronghold, force him to tell us where the clock is, eh?"

Alistair shook his head, "Nefarious would be foolish to revile that information to us no matter what we do to him. But now we have something I didn't have before, a contact inside the clock."

Nova looked to Ratchet, "You mean Clank?"

Ratchet looked to Alistair confused, "How we ganna talk to him? Uh, General my ships this way."

Alistair smiled, "No thanks, I brought my own." He said as a ship hovered next to the platform he jumped in, "Meet me in Axiom City, Planet Terachnos."

Ratchet called out over the engine, "What are we looking for in Axiom city?"

Alistair didn't answer him as he flew off Nova stepped up to him, "Probably a way to talk to Clank. Oh and Ratchet I found a faster way back to your ship. Fallow me." She activated her hover boots and speed away Ratchet on her tail.

They made it back to Aphelion in record time and took off heading back out to the Vela sector. They heard Alistair on the communicator.

Alistair, "Ratchet come in, I'm keyed into your nav-unit so we can communicate."

Ratchet, "Alright, so what's in Axiom City?"

Alistair, "A company called Pholix Industries. Nefarious hired them to locate Zoni technology. They have a database of every obsidian eye in the universe."

Ratchet, "Oh yeah I found one once back on Merdigra to bad the hulafoids dismantled it."

Nova, "Their not just ganna let us just waltz in I mean really."

Alistair, "Yes well we may have to be a little aggressive."

Ratchet, " Well I'm ready, be there as soon as we can."

The radio cut off and Nova turn to Ratchet, "Hey Ratchet, when can I drive?"

Ratchet laughed nervously, "Um… Do you even remember how to drive?"

Nova scoffed, "Of course I do, It's something you never really forget it's like it gets imprinted in your brain." she poked him in the head to make her point.

Ratchet swatted her hand away, "Maybe later right now we have to meet Alistair."

They landed and Nova looked around, "Come in General, you read me?"

Nova, "We're here where are you?"

Alistair, "Well we may have run into a bit of trouble. We'll have to make an adjustment to our plan. "

Nova, "What kind of adjustment?"

Then a computers voice came over the intercom, "Attention citizens of Axiom city. The rebel Alistair Azimuth has been spotted with in the city, troops have been mobilized for your protection."

Nova laughed and Ratchet looked at her funny, "Alistair and Kaden would always get me into nothings changed."

Ratchet just smiled shaking him head, "So General, where do we meet you?"

Alistair laughed, "Meet me a Neurox plaza and wait for me to make contact."

The com went off and Ratchet turned to Nova holding up his blaster, "You ready for this."

Nova smiled, "I was born ready." so they head to the plaza.

They came across a terminal where two Terachnoid's confronted them, "Great more lombax's come back to vandalize more equipment."

The other one looked to the one that talked first, "mind your manners any super intelligent being can see that these are different lombax's. My colleague is just upset that the Rebel Azimuth messing up the terminal. The fire fight activated the defensive grid, now the hole city is closed off, maybe you two can help."

The first one, "What are they ganna do, fly over the grid and activate the reboot switches? Ha I'd love to see that."

Nova clapped her hand smiling, "Oh can I do this one? Please Ratchet?"

Ratchet smiled, "Why not go ahead."

She jumped activating her hover and going to the other side of the room jumping on to the ramps and hovering over the wall with ease, easily shoot the bolt out so the grid would go down.

The Terachnoid's and Ratchet walked up, "You did it, the system is resetting."

Ratchet patted her on the shoulder, "You were awesome."

Then an alarm sounded, "Warning, Lombax's detected in avionics terminal 9. Dispatching all unites."

Just then a whole lot of robots came trough the grid leaving Ratchet and Nova fighting them off to protect the terachnoid's.

After all the troops were defeated they, headed to the transport tube, "Here this should take you right to Neurox plaza."

They waved thanks as they were taken through the tunnel.


End file.
